Chronology | 1926 to 1931 – Melba’s Final Years
1926
June 8
Farewell performance at Covent Garden with the second act of Romeo et Juliette. (Thompson/ McPherson, Melba: Important Dates p14)June 25
Melba’s official farewell London concert at the Royal Albert Hall. (Thompson/ McPherson, Melba: Important Dates p14.)December 7
Farewell performance at Old Vic to help raise funds for building Sadler Wells and made her last records. (Thompson/ McPherson, Melba: Important Dates p14.)
1927
March 2
Home Coming Concert, the first concert of the Farewell tour at the Auditorium, Melbourne. (Thompson/ McPherson, Melba: Important Dates p14.)May 9
Melba sang the national anthem ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ at the opening of the new Parliament House, Canberra. (Thompson/ McPherson, Melba: Important Dates p14.)June 2
Melba received the Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (G.B.E.) as did Princess Mary, later Queen Mary. (Thompson/ McPherson, Melba: Important Dates p14.)
1928
May 12
Launch of the third and final Williamson-Melba Opera Season in Australia. (Thompson/ McPherson, Melba: Important Dates p14.)August 7
Final Farewell performances in Sydney. (Thompson/ McPherson, Melba: Important Dates p15.)August 22
Created Life Governor of the Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital. (Thompson/ McPherson, Melba: Important Dates p15.)September 27
Final Farewell concert in Melbourne in La Boheme. This was Melba’s last operatic appearance. (Thompson/ McPherson, Melba: Important Dates p15.)
1929
October 5
Melba’s last public performance in England was a charity concert at the Hippodrome, Brighton. (Thompson/ McPherson, Melba: Important Dates p15.)
1930
November 10
Melba arrived back in Australia and spent Christmas at Coombe Cottage. (Thompson/ McPherson, Melba: Important Dates p15.)
1931
February 23
Dame Nellie Melba died at St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney. (Thompson/ McPherson, Melba: Important Dates p15.) February 26
Melba’s funeral service held at Scots Church, Melbourne before her interment at Lilydale Cemetery. (Thompson/ McPherson, Melba: Important Dates p15.)
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Email us your info (and images) to:
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Our home is the Old Lilydale Court House:
61 Castella Street, Lilydale 3140
Hours of opening:
By appointment only:
Fridays 1 to 4pm and Saturdays to Mondays 11am to 4pm.
Sundays are preferred.
Closed Public Holidays
Nellie Melba Museum
Contact Details:
Sue Thompson: 0475 219 884
Email: [email protected]
Share your info with us:
[email protected]
Our home is the Old Lilydale Court House:
61 Castella Street, Lilydale 3140
Hours of opening:
By Appointment only:
Fridays 1 to 4pm and Saturdays to Mondays 11am to 4pm.
Sundays are preferred.
Closed Public Holidays
Nellie Melba Museum
Contact Details:
Sue Thompson: 0475 219 884
[email protected]
Nellie Melba Museum
Contact Details:
Sue Thompson: 0475 219 884
[email protected]
Our home is the Old Lilydale Court House:
61 Castella Street, Lilydale 3140
Hours of opening:
By appointment only:
Fridays 1 to 4pm and Saturdays to Mondays 11am to 4pm.
Sundays are preferred.
Closed Public Holidays
Share Your Information
with Nellie Melba Museum!
Sue Thompson: 0475 219 884
[email protected]